Xin stood in the temple at dawn.
The crystal with the source code was on the altar. Ren was beside it. His notebook was full of symbols.
"The rewrite is done," Ren said. "I changed the source instructions. When the Makers touch the crystal, the source will reverse flow."
"Reverse flow does what?"
"Pulls the source energy out of the Makers. Every Maker within range will collapse."
"What range?"
"One mile."
Xin looked at the temple doors. "The Makers are two miles out. Twenty of them. Moving fast."
"We need to lure them closer."
****
Mira limped to the altar. Her ankle was wrapped. Healed enough to walk.
"The captured Maker," Mira said. "We can use it as bait."
"How?"
"Let it call to the others. Tell them we have the crystal. Tell them we are defenseless."
Xin walked to the cap
